Garment hanger



p 4, 1956 J. 'r. LANCASTER 2,761,599

GARMENT HANGER 7 Filed July 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JOHN T. LANCASTER 43 AT NEYS P 4, 1956 J. T. LANCASTER 2,761,599

GARMENT HANGER Filed July 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.7.

los 83 3 86 as e7 |o& I99 yes H 3. INVENTOR. JOHN- T.LANCASTER YATTOR N EYS wiiwwv v wherein:

United. States Patent GARNIENT HANGER John T..l3ancaster, Harper Woods, .lvlich.

Application July 12-, 1954, Serial N 442,679

16 Claims. (Cl. 223-32) This inventionrelates to a garment hanger.

' The garment hanger of the present" invention is especially useful for carrying garmentsin an automobile; although it will be appreciated that the garment hanger isuseful' in many other situations. from a hook in an automobile by the ordinary' hangerare likely to become soiled or wrinkled especially where crowded conditions prevaili On the other handwhen garments are packed in traveling bags they are in- The present invention is:

Still another object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger which is of simple construction, composed of a relatively few inexpensive parts; and yet extremely capable intheperformance ofits intended function.

Other objects of the. invention will become apparent.

as the following description proceeds, especially when: taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a garment hanger constructed in accordance with the present invention;

. Figure 2' is a sectional view taken along the:linea2-2 (m- Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a modifiedr form ofrgarment hanger, also constructed in accordance withv this invention andshowing the dotted outline of a frock supported thereby;

Figure 4- is an elevational view showing; the garment Figure 8- is an enlargement" of a portion. of' Figure 7;.

and

on Figure 8.

Referring now more particularly to. the: drawing anrl especially to Figure 1, the. garment hanger there, illustrated comprises an. upper frame 10, a= lower frame; 11,v

a; garment hanger proper 12 at the top of the upper frame, and a'return hanger 13 at the bottom of the-lower,

frame.

The upper frame'10: is of one piece wireconstruction and comprises. the laterally spaced side. bars 14- and 15.

The sidebar 1.4 includes the upper and lower. port-ions 16. and17 integrallyconnected. together by a laterally extending portion 18. The side bar 15 includes the upper Garments supported- Figure 9. isa sectional view taken along the line 9-9 and loop portions Zilintegrally connect opposite-endsof the transverse bar with the lower ends. of portions 1 and 20 of the side bars. p

The garment hanger proper 12" comprises aresilient elongated bar 24 which has the opposite end 'por-tionsa returnbent to provide garment supporting arms 25am! 26which extend towards each other in crossing relation: A wiremember 27 "has a. curved portion providing-a h'oo'k 28 for suspending'the. garment hanger from a fixed support, and the wire member has acoiled portion. 29- en circling and slidably receiving the arms 25 and 26 at the point of crossing thereof. The coiled portion" 2.9 of wire member 27' terminates in an upturned hoolc re ceivingpart 30 (Figure 2-) fora purpose to-be described hereinafter. The arms 25- and 26; terminate in. loopv portions 31; and the upper. endsof: portions- 16-and 1 9 of the side barsal'so are formedto provide loop portions" 32 respectively engagingwith the loop\ portions 31 to" provide ahinge-connection.

The lower frame: 11% is of one piece wireconstruetion and includes side bars 33 and 34 having loopportions- 35- at; the upper ends respectively engaging: with loop portions 23 to provide a hinge-connection: with the upper frameipermitting the lower frame-to be, folded-upon; the: upper frame. A. transverse bar 36. has its. opposite endszintegrall'y connecteditolthe lower ends of sidebars; 3.3; and 34 by.- loop portions.37.

The. return hanger 13 comprises. atransverse bar 38; extending across. the lower end of frame 11 having. its; opposite. ends: formed to. provide. loop portionsv 39.- re-. spectively engagi'ngwithdoop portions 37', and theinter mediate: portion. of bar 38: is provided with an offset defining a hook: 40.. which is? engageable with the: hook receiving part 30; in. the, folded: condition. ofthe frames-t.

The manner in which a. garment, such as. at. frock, is supported'on the. garment hanger. thusdescribed: will be: understood? readily and uponv reference toFigures-3' 3Ildl4l described below. The shoulder portions: of the. frock will. be-supported uponarms. 25. and, 26 of the hanger. proper. with themidderportion thereof to. the. rear, of. transverse; bar. 22. and the. lower. or skirt portion. thereof. in front: of; transverse: bar 36 but. tothe. rear of. bar 38. The; frock may thembafolded to provide. a; compact package.- by merely raising the lower frame and folding the same; over upon. theupper. frame, andengaging hook 40 over the hook receiving part 30. to releasably retain'the hanger: in its. folded condition. i

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4,1a.s1igh.tl' different;

form of the invention is illustrated. The upper frame 1 of: the: garment hanger illustrated in Figure 2 comprises. the upwardly inclinedside. bars 41 and thelower trans. verse. bar 42 integrally connected to the lower endsrof: side. bars 41 by loop portions. 43. The lower. frame. consistsv of the. side bars 44 and 45 having. loop. portions: 46 at their upper ends, respectively engaging with the. loop portions 43 of the upper frame. I I

A return hanger is provided at the bottom of the; lower frame and consists of a transverse bar 47 having; the arms 48 and'49" integrally connected to-opposite ends thereof by loop portions 50, the latter engaging with: loop portions 51 at the lower ends of bars '44 and 45'. The inner ends of arms 48 and 49 are wound around each other to provide a fixed connection and the arm- 48 term-inatesin a hook 52. I

The. garment: hanger proper is generally indicated-at 52. "and consists of the bar 53. and having the opposite ends return. bent to provide garment supporting arms 5A; and 55 which. extend towards each other andintertnined at their inner ends to provide a fixed connection. The

l atented Sept. 4,"

Figures and 6 illustrate still another form of the invention. The upper frame of the garment hanger illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 is of one piece wire construction and includes side bars 62 and 63. Side bar 62 includes the laterally spaced portions 64 and 65 integrally connected by the laterally extending portion 66. Side bar 63 includes the laterally spaced portions 67 and 68 integrally connected by a laterally extending portion 69.. A transverse portion 70 integrally connects the upper ends of portions 64 and 67 and is formed with an intermedate loop 71 and a terminal downwardly extending loop 72 which defines a hook receiving part. The lower ends of portions 65 and 68 of the side bars are shaped to provide the loop portions 73 having a terminal portions 74 and 75 extending towards each other and interlaced at their inner ends. A transverse bar 76 has loop portions 77 at the opposite ends encircling the side bars '65 and 68 to maintain the latter in fixed spaced relation.

The hanger proper 78 is of the ordinary type having the lower transverse portion 78 and the return bent garment supporting arms 79 and 80 which extend inwardly and through the intermediate loop 71 of the upper frame and upward therefrom where they are interlaced together. One of the arms has an upwardly curved portion providing a hook 81 for supporting the hanger on a fixed mounting. The upper frame is supported upon the hanger proper by reason of the loop portion 71 resting upon the arms 79 and 81.

The lower frame includes the side bars 82 and 83. The upper ends of these side 'bars are formed with loop portions 84 respectively engaging with the loop portions 73 to provide a hinge connection permitting the lower frame to be folded upon the upper frame. The return hanger 85 is identical with the hanger 78 and the lower ends of bars 82 and 83 are provided with loop portions 86 through which the transverse bar of the return hanger 85 extends. A transverse bar 87 extends between the lower ends of side bars 82 and 83 having loop portions 88 at the opposite ends respectively encircling the side bars for maintaining the latter in fixed spaced relationship.

In the folded condition of the garment hanger illustrated in FiguresS and 6, the hook 89 of the return hanger engages the hook receiving part 72 to maintain the folded relationship.

A still further form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 7-9. The hanger proper 90 is of exactly the same construction as the hanger proper 78 illustrated in Figure 5 with the exception that the inner ends of the arms 91 and 92 are provided with the laterally extending shoulders 93 and 94. A plate is folded over the shoulders 93 and 94 having a central opening 95 for receiving the upwardly projecting inner ends of the arms 91 and 92 of the hanger proper and also to provide a hook receiving part. The opposite panels 96 and 97 of the plate are provided with registering openings 98 and 99 for respectively receiving the upper looped ends of side bars 100 and 101 of the upper frame. The upper frame is completed by the transverse bar 102 having loop portions 103 at the opposite ends respectively engaging loop portions 104 at the lower ends of the side bars.

The lower frame includes side bars 105 and 106 having loop portions 107 at the upper ends respectively engaging the loops 103 of the transverse bar, and the lower looped ends 108 of side bars 105 and 106 are connected together by .a transverse bar 109.

The return hanger consists of a transverse bar 110 having looped end portions 111 engaging the opposite looped ends of transverse bar 109, and an intermediate portion of transverse bar 110 is formed to provide a hook 112 for engaging the hook receiving part 95' in the folded condition of the hanger.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars, means at the top of said upper frame providing a hook for supporting said hanger and members projecting laterally outwardly from said hook for supporting a garment thereon, the lower frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars having their upper ends respectively hingedly connected to the lower ends of the first-mentioned side bars permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars, means on said upper frame providing a first part, and means on said lower frame providing a second part releasably engageable with said first part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition.

2. A garment hanger as defined in claim 1 having a second transverse bar connecting the lower ends of the first-mentioned side bars.

3. A garment hanger as defined in claim 2 in which said last-named means comprises a third transverse bar having its opposite ends connected to the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars and having an intermediate portion shaped to provide the second part, and in which one of said parts is in the form of a hook and the other is in the form of a hook-receiving part adapted to receive said hook.

4. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars, garment supporting means at the top of said upper frame comprising a resilient elongated bar member having the opposite end portions return bent and extending toward each other in crossing relation, a hook for supporting said hanger having a portion encircling and slidably supporting said return bent portions at the point of crossing and having a first part, the upper ends of said side bars being respectively connected to the free ends of said return bent end portions, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, said lower frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars having their upper ends respectively hingedly connected to the lower ends of the first-mentioned side bars permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars, and means at the lower end of said lower frame providing a second part releasably engageable with said first part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition, one of said parts being in the form of a hook and the other being in the form of a hook-receiving part adapted to receive said hook.

5. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame being of one-piece wire construction and having a pair of laterally spaced side bars, a transverse bar extending between the lower ends of said side bars and loop portions integrally connecting the said lower ends to the ends of said transverse bar, garment supporting means at the top of said upper frame comprising a resilient elongated bar member having the opposite end portions return bent and extending toward each other in crossing relation, a Wire member having a hook portion for supporting the hanger and having a portion encircling and slidably supporting said return bent end portions at the point of crossing and terminating in a first part, the upper ends of said side bars being connected to the ends of said return bent end portions, said lower frame being of one-piece wire construction and having a pair of laterally spaced side bars having loop portions at. their upper ends respectively interengaging the loop portions of the first-mentioned bars to provide hinge connections permitting the lower frame tobe folded upon the upper frame, a second transverse bar integrally connected to the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars, and means at the lower end of said lower frame providing a second part releasably engageable with said first part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition, one of said parts being in the form of a hook and the other being in the form of a hook-receiving part adapted to receive said hook.

6. A garment hanger as defined in claim 5, in which said second transverse bar is integrally connected to the lower ends of said second-mentioned side bars by loop portions, and in which the last-named means comprises a third transverse bar having loop portions at the opposite ends respectively engaging the second-mentioned loop portions and having an intermediate portion shaped to provide the second part.

7. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars, garment supporting means at the top of said upper frame comprising a pair of wire members having their inner ends fixedly connected together and extending outwardly from the fixed connection, said members each being formed to provide an intermediate integral loop, the upper ends of said side bars having loop portions respectively inter-engaging with said loops, a hook for supporting said hanger secured to said members at the point of connection thereof and having a first part, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, the lower frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars having the upper ends respectively hingedly connected to the lower ends of the first mentioned side bars permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of the second-rnentioned side bars, and means at the lower extremity of said lower frame providing a second part releasably engageable with said first part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition, one of said parts being in the form of a hook and the other being in the form of a hook-receiving part adapted to receive said hook.

8. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars, garment supporting means at the top of said upper frame comprising a pair of wire members having their inner ends fixedly connected together and extending laterally outwardly from the fixed connection, a wire hook projecting upwardly from the inner ends of said members for supporting the hanger, the upper ends of said side bars being connected by a cross bar having a first intermediate loop portion encircling said hook and supported on the inner ends of said members to suspend said upper frame from said garment supporting means and having a second intermediate loop portion providing a first part, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, the lower frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars having the upper ends respectively hingedly connected to the lower ends of the first-mentioned side bars permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars, and means at the lower extremity of said lower frame providing a second part releasably engageable with said first part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition, one of said parts being in the form of a hook and the other being in the form of a hook-receiving part adapted to receive said hook.

9. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars, garment supporting means at the top of said upper frame comprising a pair of members. having their inner ends fixedly connected together and extending laterally outwardly from the fixed connection, a hook projecting, upwardly from the inner ends of said members for, supporting the hanger, a plate carried by said members adjacent the inner ends thereof, the upper ends of said side bars being connected to saidplate, said plate having an opening providing a hook-receiving part, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of said side bars, the lower frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced side bars having the upper ends respectively hingedly connected to the lower ends of the first-mentioned side bars permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, a transverse bar connecting the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars, and means at the lower extremity of said lower frame providing a second hook releasably engageable with said hook receiving part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition.

10. A garment hanger as defined in claim 9 in which the last-named means comprises a transverse bar having its opposite ends connected to the lower ends of the second-mentioned side bars and having an intermediate portion shaped to provide the second hook.

11. A garment hanger as defined in claim 10, in which said plate is folded over the inner ends of said members, and in which the opening therein providing said hookreceiving part also receives the upwardly projecting hook.

12. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said upper frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced wire side bars, garment supporting means at the top of said upper frame comprising a one-piece wire hanger member having an elongated bar member, the opposite end portions of said bar member being return bent and extending toward each other with the free ends of said return bent portions connected together, said hanger member including a hook portion for supporting the same extending upwardly from and in continuation of said free ends, a plate of inverted U-shape folded over said return bent portions and having a central opening accommodating the connected ends of said return bent portions, the upper ends of said side bars being hinged to said plate, a wire transverse bar having the opposite ends hinged to the lower ends of said side bars, the lower frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced wire side bars having the upper ends respectively hingedly connected to the ends of said transverse bar permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, a second wire transverse bar having the opposite ends hingedly connected to the lower ends of the secondmentioned side bars, and a third wire transverse bar having the opposite ends hingedly connected to the ends of said second transverse bar, said third transverse bar having an intermediate portion shaped to provide a hook releasably engageable in said central opening in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition.

13. A garment hanger comprising an upper frame having at the upper extremity a centrally disposed hook for supporting said hanger and portions extending laterally outwardly from said hook for supporting a garment, a lower frame having the upper extremity thereof hingedly connected to the lower extremity of said upper frame permitting said lower frame to be folded upon said upper frame, and releasable means on said frames cooperable to hold the latter in folded condition, said frames being formed of relatively rigid members to support a garment and protect it against wrinkling both in the folded and unfolded condition of said frames.

14. A garment hanger as defined in claim 13, said releasable means comprising a first part on said upper frame and a second part on said lower frame releasably engageable with said first part in the folded condition of said frames to retain said frames in folded condition.

15. A garment hanger as defined in claim 14, said 7 lower frame having a transverse part adjacent to the lower extremity thereof over which a portion of a garment may be suspended in the folded condition of said frames.

16. A garment hanger as defined in claim 15, including a transverse part extending substantially along the hinge axis over which a garment is folded in the folded condition of said frames.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Tanguary Sept. 3, 1895 Heimann July 21, 1925 Marshall July 5, 1938 Marsand Feb. 21, 1950 Bailey Dec. 4, 1951 

